Combined lock and latch.



Patentd June 12,1900.

' F. E. FRENCH.

COMBINED LOCK AND LATCH.

(Application filed Sept. 1, 1899.)

(No Model.)

INVENTOH WITNESSES atom/k ma -40mm PETERS cov vno'rcxuwov wnsnmqun, n. 0.,

- UNITE STATES PATENT @FFICE.

FRANK E. FRENCH, OF LACONIA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO GEORGE H. PERKINS, OF SAME PLACE.

COMBINED LOCK AND LATCH.

srEcIrIcATIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 651,480, dated June 12, 1960.

Application filed September 1, 1899. Serial No. 729,221. (N 0 model.)

To all whom it mag concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK E. FRENCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Laconia, in the county of Belknap and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Lock and Latch; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in looks, and more especially to a combinedlock and latch of that kind wherein asingle bolt is provided with means for drawing it from one side of the lock and locking means for preventing the drawing of the bolt from the other side except by the use of a proper key.

Among other objects, it is the object of my invention to construct a combined lock and latch of the fewest possible parts consistent with strength and safety; to provide a simple and effective locking means for the bolt, operated to release the bolt simply by the insertion of the key, thereby avoiding the necessity of turning the same, as is usually the case to provide a bolt-drawing member which shall at the same time act as a retainingand guiding means for the bolt, and to generally improve, simplify, and cheapen the construction of such combined locks and latches.

With such objects in view the invention is embodied in the parts, arrangement and com:

binations of parts, hereinafter described, and particularly set forth in the claims.

In order that my invention may be understood, I have shown in the accompanying drawings a practical embodiment thereof, but wish it understood that I do not limit the invention in its useful applications to the particular construction which for the purpose of illustration is there shown.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a surface lock and latch, illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is a reverse elevation of the interior of the lock and latch, the back plate being removed; and Fig. 3 is a trans verse vertical sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

In the specification and drawings the invention is described and shown as applied 'to case, into the latter of which screws passing through holes in the back plate engage to hold the latter in place.

The latch-bolt G, as shown, is provided with a reduced or flattened shank C, sliding on the back or inside of the front plate of the case A. Slidingly mounted against the back of the front plate is a bolt-drawing member D, broader than the latch-shank and having a longitudinal groove or channel at in the side next to the case front plate in which the boltshank G slides and is guided. The member D is held from lateral movement and guided by a casting or lugE on one side thereof, having side extensions or cars e, affordinga long guiding-bearing for the member, and a re tainer'and guide F on the other side detachably held in place by suitable means, as by a screw f. At its inner end the member D is bifurcated, forming the two arms at 01, provided each with a finger or lug (Z and be= tween these arms 61 a barrel G is rotatively mounted in bearings in the front and back plates of the case, said barrel having opposite arms g g, engaging each one of the fingers d for drawing inward the bolt-drawing memberD. The barrel G has an angular longitudinal bore 9 for a knob or handle shaft. The movement of the member D is communicated to the bolt for drawing the same by means of a pin or stud c, which slidesin an elongated slot d the outer end wall of which in the normal position of the parts engages the 'stud. The stud c is conveniently the end of a finger-piece c, screwed into the boltshank and passing through and working in an elongated slot 0 in the case-front, the fingerpiece constituting a means for drawing the bolt from the inside of the door when the bolt-drawing member D is locked. H indicates a spring coiled about one of the lugs b, one an of which spring bears against the latch-case and the other end of which is seated in a curved slot h in the bolt and acts normally to throw the bolt outward.

Referring now to the means for holding or looking the bolt-drawing member D, I indicates a casting or housing formed on or secured to the member D, as shown flush with the upper edge of said member and extending to the side thereof, said housing having a plurality of pockets or recesses 'i, in which are seated spiral springs 11. The housing t' abuts and slides against the under side of the casting or lug E. This lug E is provided also with a plurality of pockets or recesses corresponding with those in the housing I and in register therewith when the parts are in their normal or locked position. J indicates tumblers in the form of pins located in the recesses t', each tumbler being formed of two complementary parts jj in alinement. The parts of the pins J are of relatively-different lengths, and the lower parts j being held by their springs projected into the recesses in the casting E are thereby adapted to prevent placed therein it cannot be turned, as is usual with a lock-key. The key is provided with wards Z, having inclined faces permitting the key to he slipped in the keyhole over the upper rounded ends of the tumbler-pins, the wards being so arranged and of such a size as to cause the pins to movethe required distance in their recesses to bring the dividingline between the two parts into line or registerwith the dividing-line between the memher D and casting E, thus releasing the mem her and permitting the same to be turned back by the knob or handle shaft. Thus it is only necessary to insert the key and not tum thesame to release or unlock the boltdrawing member D.

In the drawings the lock is shown as provided with only two tumblers. It is evident that any desired number may be employed to render the lock more effectual against the use of any but the intended key.

It will be observed that the combined lock and latch above described is of an eXceed ingly simple and compact form and at the same time an eifective and safe lock.

I do not lay claim, broadly, to locking means operated simply by the insertion of a key, as I believethis to be old, broadly; but

What I claim, and desire to secure ters Patent, is-

1. In a combined lock and latch, the com bination of a latch-bolt, means for drawing the same on one side of the latch, a bolt-drawing member adapted to be operated by a knob or handle shaft and adapted to draw the bolt, a tumbler adapted to engage said bolt-drawing member and lock the same, said tumbler being adapted to be moved to releasethe boltdrawing member simply by the insertion of a key, substantially as described.

2. In a combined lock and latch, the com bination of a latch-bolt, means for drawing the same from one side of the latch, a boltdrawing member adapted to be operated by a knob or handle shaft and adapted to draw the bolt, a housing carried by said bolt-drawby Iieting member at one edge thereof, a casting on the lock-and-latch case having a keyhole, and tumblers working in recesses in said casting and housing, and adapted to lock the boltdrawing member and to be operated by a key to release the same, substantially as described.

3. In a combined lock and latch, the combination of a bolt having a reduced shank, a bolt-drawing member having a channel in which said shank is held and guided, means for operating said bolt-drawing member, re taining means for said bolt-drawing member, and a tumbler for holding said bolt-drawing member and adapted to be operated by a key to release the same,si ibstantially as described.

4:. In a combined lockand latch, the combination of a bolt having a reduced shank, means for throwing said bolt from one side of the lock, a bolt-drawing member havingin one side a channel in which said shank is retained and guided, means for-operating said bolt-drawing member, a tumbler adapted to engage said bolt-drawing member to lock 'the same from movement and adapted to be operated by a key to releasethe bolt-drawing member, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK E. FRENCH. \Vitnesses AGNES B. GEORGE, Mann]; E. Comma. 

